ACEC-Ontario Board of Directors and Staff

Working hard for our member firms.

2023-2024 ACEC-Ontario Board of Directors

The Board of Directors dedicate their time to keeping the Association at the forefront of member interests and issues. Backed by market research and diverse perspectives from across the industry in Ontario, they advocate on behalf of ACEC-Ontario’s member firms.

ACEC-Ontario Staff

Andrew Hurd, Executive Director
(416) 620-1400 Ext.224

Andrew Hurd joined ACEC-Ontario in July 2023, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the Association’s strategic direction and daily operations. Andrew is responsible for the execution of the Board’s Strategic Plan, in addition to overall responsibility for the daily operations of the Association and its dedicated staff team. This includes robust engagement with members, stakeholders and allies to further promote and advance the business interests of the Association’s members across Ontario.

Prior to joining ACEC-Ontario, Andrew spent six years as Director, Policy and Stakeholder Relations with the Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA). While at ORBA, he played a pivotal role in helping to strategically advance ORBA’s policy goals with his extensive knowledge of transportation infrastructure policy files, communications, issues management and political decision-making.

Throughout his career Andrew has fostered productive relationships with partner associations and many of the public-sector Ministries and agencies that are key to ACEC-Ontario, as well as volunteering on numerous external industry committees.

Prior to his time at ORBA, Andrew worked for the government of Ontario for over 12 years in a variety of senior policy-related roles, including with the Office of the Premier and the Ministries of Transportation, Indigenous Relations, and Education.

Doug DeRabbie, Director, Government and Stakeholder Relations
416-620-1400 ext 222

Doug joined ACEC-Ontario as Director, Government and Stakeholder Relations in September 2022 and is responsible for advocacy and stakeholder relations activities, ensuring our member firms have a voice with government, stakeholders and affiliated organizations. Doug began his career working for a Member of Parliament in Ottawa. Since then, he has worked for Natural Resources Canada and Infrastructure Ontario, where he was instrumental in setting up the agency’s stakeholder relations strategy and consultations on its procurement documents. He has also held senior roles in various trade associations, including the Council of Ontario Construction Associations, the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the Retail Council of Canada, and the Ontario Association of Optometrists. At each association, he successfully secured legislative, regulatory, and other changes to the benefit of the sector. Doug has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, both in Political Science, from Western University.

Michelle West, Director, Membership, Marketing & Communications
416-620-1400 ext 227

Michelle West is responsible for the planning, implementation and reinforcement of ACEC-Ontario’s identity and brand. Using a variety of channels, Michelle helps deliver on our mission through effective events and an impactful marketing and communications strategy. During her tenure at ACEC-Ontario her portfolio has expanded to also include responsibility for events and member engagement.

Michelle is a senior marketing and communications leader with over two decades of progressive experience in various industries for both non-profit and business-to-business environments. She has extensive leadership experience driving marketing and communications programs focused on enhancing membership value and engagement. One of her past accomplishments is an award-winning Government Relations campaign that brought consumer awareness to, and stopped the implementation of, a further tax on Ontario consumers.

Please contact Michelle for any inquiries associated with sponsorship, marketing, or communications efforts.

Lynne Harris, Manager, Finance & Operations
416-620-1400 Ext. 225

Lynne Harris is responsible for the association’s financial management and reporting, as well as administration, human resources, and operations. As a member of the management team, she works closely with the Finance and Audit Committee to ensure that budgets are aligned with the organization’s strategic plan and objectives.

Lynne is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified Management Accountant. She has extensive experience in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. She has many years of experience on the management teams of small to medium sized companies, mainly in the manufacturing sector. She pivoted to the not-for-profit sector becoming the founding Finance Manager at a provincial government agency. Lynne earned her Bachelor of Mathematics (Honours Co-operative Program) degree from the University of Waterloo and her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Please contact Lynne for membership fee invoice related inquiries.

Laura Lambie, Manager, Municipal Relations
416-620-1400 Ext. 221

Laura Lambie works closely with the Director of Government and Stakeholder Relations to advance ACEC-Ontario’s strategic goal of proactive advocacy.

Laura is experienced in program design and implementation of volunteer, health promotion, and therapeutic recreation programs. Her experience includes engagement in both the not-for-profit and public sectors. Previously, Laura held the position of Manager, Engagement at ACEC-Ontario. Prior to joining ACEC-Ontario, Laura worked as a Volunteer Coordinator for a community health center, with a focus of engaging volunteers with physical disabilities.

Laura holds an Honours Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Development from The University of Guelph. She has also received her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) and Knowledge Mobilization Certificate (KMb) from the University of Guelph.

Priyanka Anand, Specialist, Events & Marketing
416-620-1400 Ext. 223

Priyanka Anand joined the team in September 2023 as Events & Marketing Specialist supporting the Director of Membership, Marketing and Communications. Her role encompasses the seamless coordination and execution of a wide array of events and education programs organized by ACEC-Ontario ensuring every detail is attended to. Additionally, Priyanka will support connections and strong community through communications with all members and stakeholders of ACEC-Ontario.

She is a dynamic professional dedicated to crafting exceptional experiences for our diverse audience and brings over 5 years of experience and expertise to the role, seeking to elevate organization’s events and marketing efforts.

Please contact Priyanka for any inquiries associated with education, events or marketing efforts.

Valeriia Makarenko, Membership Coordinator
416.620.1400 x 226

Valeriia joined ACEC-Ontario in June 2024 as the Membership Coordinator within the Membership, Marketing, and Communication department. In this role, she ensures a seamless member experience through effective membership administration, program support, and volunteer engagement. Valeriia is responsible for managing membership applications and renewals, tracking engagement KPIs, and enhancing the overall member experience.

With a background in hospitality and business administration, Valeriia brings a solid understanding of how to elevate membership experiences.

Please contact Valeriia for any inquiries related to membership, chapters, committees, networks or volunteering opportunities.